Question for those who know radios

[hamsandwiches]

Hey guys, you all helped me with my cluster issue so here I am with another electrical thing.

Thanks a lot for the help.

Installed a JVC KW-R910BT doubin din because my stock radio's lights were out and I wanted bluetooth.


Bought this wiring harness adapter:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002BEQJ8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Soldered/shrink tubed it to the radio's plug. Removed stock amp and plugged unit into two plugs.

Radio works perfectly across all inputs when truck is in accessory. Plays songs fine all the way through.

Once you start the truck, the speakers all cut in and out together (no sound) for really brief moments during a track. It happens in spells too about 45 seconds apart. Little 0.5-1 second cut outs but plenty long to make it really annoying. The radio remains powered during the cutting in and out episode as the screen and lights are still on - just choppy sound.

I put ferrite cores over all the radio connections to prevent EMI from the ignition system - no change

Could it be the antenna plugs? The new head unit had only one antenna port which I plugged the larger one into. The other I taped off and left unused. Could that be causing interference?

I can't imagine it would be an alternator issue - my truck makes 13.9-14.2v consistently.

Running out of ideas.

Thanks again!

 

[weekendclimber]

Sounds like there's a short somewhere along one of the speaker wires. Is it happening on all speakers? To answer that, try panning/balancing it to one speaker at a time and see if it's all speakers that it's happening to, or just one particular speaker.

Do you have a seperate amplifier running the speakers? I ran all new speaker wires to the doors from the aftermarket amplifier I've got under the driver's seat. It could be the power to the amplifier that's shorting momentarily or a bad amp.

 

[hamsandwiches]

Sounds like there's a short somewhere along one of the speaker wires. Is it happening on all speakers? To answer that, try panning/balancing it to one speaker at a time and see if it's all speakers that it's happening to, or just one particular speaker.

Do you have a seperate amplifier running the speakers? I ran all new speaker wires to the doors from the aftermarket amplifier I've got under the driver's seat. It could be the power to the amplifier that's shorting momentarily or a bad amp.

Yes it happens with all the speakers together like there is no sound at all for the 0.5-1 second cut outs which happen in spurts.

The amp is in the head unit I would imagine since I removed the stock amp. All original speaker wires.

Everything works perfect with truck not running

Thanks

 

[weekendclimber]

Yes it happens with all the speakers together like there is no sound at all for the 0.5-1 second cut outs which happen in spurts.

The amp is in the head unit I would imagine since I removed the stock amp. All original speaker wires.

Everything works perfect with truck not running

Thanks

I would start with checking that all the plugs are secured in the radio. After verifying that, then put a meter on the speakers and see if it's dropping voltage all together to them or not.

 

[hamsandwiches]

I will do that, just unsure why it would work perfect when key is in accessory (on, but not running)

No one has had this issue when adding an aftermarket radio to a third gen?

There were 2 antenna plugs going to stock HU, and only one slot for the larger one on the JVC, do they need to be combined or something?

 

[3bears]

I will do that, just unsure why it would work perfect when key is in accessory (on, but not running)

No one has had this issue when adding an aftermarket radio to a third gen?

There were 2 antenna plugs going to stock HU, and only one slot for the larger one on the JVC, do they need to be combined or something?

no antenna wires do NOT need to be combined. that's not your problem

 

[weekendclimber]

I will do that, just unsure why it would work perfect when key is in accessory (on, but not running)

No one has had this issue when adding an aftermarket radio to a third gen?

There were 2 antenna plugs going to stock HU, and only one slot for the larger one on the JVC, do they need to be combined or something?

To me, it sounds like something is jiggling loose and it's a matter of finding out where that's at. Worse case, it's in the radio, best case it's some of the speaker wiring.

As for the 2 antenna plugs, there are actually 2 antennas on these rigs. One up front, which is obvious, and one in the rear passenger window. If you look along the edges of that window, you can see what looks like heater wires similar to the rear window. This is actually a radio antenna.

 

[hamsandwiches]

I Understand

I don't see how it could be a loose connection because I did not mess with any speaker wiring and it was all working fine.

I soldered the connections - not crimp so not sure how they could be loose/jiggling?

So having the other antenna plug just sitting back there taped off is harmless?

There are 2 power wires that go the radio - the red and the yellow. Are they for power with engine running and power without engine running? Could the one for engine power (not just battery) not be beefy enough?

Thanks!

 

[weekendclimber]

I Understand

I don't see how it could be a loose connection because I did not mess with any speaker wiring and it was all working fine.

I soldered the connections - not crimp so not sure how they could be loose/jiggling?

It very well could be in the head unit. Do you happen to have another that you could test this with? It sounds like it was fine before swapping the new one it, so I'm leaning on something loose in the head unit (don't take the word of some dude on the internet thought, take it to a pro to have it looked at).

So having the other antenna plug just sitting back there taped off is harmless?

That's how I've got the head unit I use setup. Works just fine.

There are 2 power wires that go the radio - the red and the yellow. Are they for power with engine running and power without engine running? Could the one for engine power (not just battery) not be beefy enough?

Thanks!

That's correct. One for constant power to keep the memory and clock going, and one with key on. Should not be a size issue (don't tell my wife).

 

[hamsandwiches]

I just matched up the colors to the harness in the link above - could switching the yellow and red be beneficial? Maybe they were miscolored?

 

[TheDurk]

I Understand

I don't see how it could be a loose connection because I did not mess with any speaker wiring and it was all working fine.

I soldered the connections - not crimp so not sure how they could be loose/jiggling?

So having the other antenna plug just sitting back there taped off is harmless?

There are 2 power wires that go the radio - the red and the yellow. Are they for power with engine running and power without engine running? Could the one for engine power (not just battery) not be beefy enough?

Thanks!

No, the red power wire should be on in either Accessory or Ignition On positions. The yellow is the constant feed to maintain settings and time. If either interrupts, the unit lights will flicker and that is not happening. So I don't think that is the problem. If it is not the speaker wiring, which may be triggering a safe mode shutdown, which leaves the light on, then I'd say the unit itself may be defective. Sure would be nice to swap in another one to see.

I would try different inputs: cd, radio, aux., USB, whatever you have available, to rule out an issue there. What have you tried?

That said, when I install aftermarket units, I prefer to install my constant power direct to battery (with an inline fuse). I don't think it will help, but it is still better practice.

Another thing to try is an additional ground wire from the HU to the chassis. Bad grounding is often the source of electrical weirdness.

 

[hamsandwiches]

I would try different inputs: cd, radio, aux., USB, whatever you have available, to rule out an issue there. What have you tried?



Another thing to try is an additional ground wire from the HU to the chassis. Bad grounding is often the source of electrical weirdness.

I thought it could be a bad ground - which might not be able to ground the slightly variable ignition voltage compared to the nearly constant battery voltage.

Zero change across all inputs, I tried AM, FM, bluetooth, AUX, etc

Guess bad ground is the most likely culprit?

 

[weekendclimber]

No, the red power wire should be on in either Accessory or Ignition On positions. The yellow is the constant feed to maintain settings and time. If either interrupts, the unit lights will flicker and that is not happening. So I don't think that is the problem. If it is not the speaker wiring, which may be triggering a safe mode shutdown, which leaves the light on, then I'd say the unit itself may be defective. Sure would be nice to swap in another one to see.

I would try different inputs: cd, radio, aux., USB, whatever you have available, to rule out an issue there. What have you tried?

That said, when I install aftermarket units, I prefer to install my constant power direct to battery (with an inline fuse). I don't think it will help, but it is still better practice.

Another thing to try is an additional ground wire from the HU to the chassis. Bad grounding is often the source of electrical weirdness.

^^^ This guy electricians!

 

[hamsandwiches]

Alright I'll buy a cheap 40 dollar ebay double din and see if that works.

I can't help but think it wouldn't be a bad ground because that ground wire connected to the old amp and worked perfect.

 

[TheDurk]

Alright I'll buy a cheap 40 dollar ebay double din and see if that works.

I can't help but think it wouldn't be a bad ground because that ground wire connected to the old amp and worked perfect.

The electrical grounding gods laugh at simple human logic.

 

[Ripper238]

Sounds like its clipping, you have no aftermarket amp to power the speakers? Whats the head units power output for the speakers? It may not be enough to run the speakers efficiently and you are getting clipping.

Always check your ground first, then check it again.

 

[plcfcng]

alot of info from others let me throw in a idea you can try to roll the balance and fade to isolate the speakers and see if that help determine if it is a speaker or which one it is.:ybrick:

 

[ThySenteth]

That second, smaller, antenna wire that you taped off is for AM radio and does NOT need to be hooked up. Mine is taped off behind the dash as well so rest easy on that detail.

I installed a double din too and have zero problems. I also took out the stock amp as you did. My speakers are all oem. Are yours?

The 45 second interval is interesting.. I know on CANBUS vehicles a ping runs throughout the vehicle for diagnostics (like to let you know a brake light is suddenly out) but our vehicles aren’t equipped like that to my knowledge.

Are there any settings on the head unit that can be messed with for shits and giggles?

*EDIT: when the speakers cut out, is the track still playing or does it pause? Meaning if you were playing a song from your phone and singing along, do the words pick right back up to your singing or does the track pause and resume making you “off” from where you were in the song?

 

[hamsandwiches]

The track is still playing when it happens - like parts of the song are cut out not paused.

Yes stock speaker. No idea what the output on the head unit is

Just added a new ground wire to a known good ground and got no difference.

What kind of setting could I mess with on the radio to possibly change it?

 

[BostonJon]

I have a kenwood double din HU that I just installed. Removed the stock amp. Used the cheap metra wiring harness from amazon. Soldered all connections. Absolutely no issues. Maybe you have a bad HU? I was replacing an older kenwood that had an internal short.